Sleeping Beauties

I have a friend, Roger, who called and complained to me that he has yet to end up in one of my blogs. Roger, by nature, is neither a complainer (nor a frequent caller, for that fact) but an excellent friend who is delusional about his basketball abilities. He's into old age now; in his fifties - old enough to be my father, or at least older uncle. Roger is one of those unique people in life that bring memories alive - not that he is a living fossil, I would never say that - at least not to his face, but the memories he brings forth are opportunities for us to smile and remember that life really is connected by moments of joy.

Roger is the principal of elementary schools in Waverly, Iowa. He is of average height, skinny, but not stick figured; my memories of him still picture him with brown hair but as of this age, I would guess salt and pepper is more likely. He has a smile that starts on one side of his face and then spreads to the other, kind of like the sun rising; the way he speaks is a constant sort of amusement to me - sarcasm, but not the biting kind - more like the bouncing kind (it bounces off me like water on a duck). His intelligence is apparent and kindness is evident (I'm stroking his ego a bit here). To put it simply, after years apart, Roger doesn't change - and that's a good thing.

Roger, as we were talking the other day, brought up his disastrous summer last year when the flooding of the Cedar River ravaged Waverly and the school district. Irving Elementary School lay underwater; its bathing produced devastating effects and Roger was left trying to relocate all of the children in his school to some other place. When disaster occurs, of course the first thing that is sacrificed is sleep. From what I hear from another friend, Roger seemingly didn't sleep for two weeks; his eyes looked like empty walnut shells - his body language suggested walking death. But like many Iowans last summer, Roger simply rolled up their sleeves and did what he had to do to save life as he knew it.

Even last night as I spoke with my spiritual practices class that one of the things that I take most for granted is sleep. I never really think about how great I feel after a good night of dreaming (or sometimes not dreaming), but when I don't get any sleep it feels as if the world may indeed come crashing down around my bed headed hair. Sleep is truly a gift - doctors might say it is the most necessary element to healing.

Even in one of the most famous fairy tales of all time, Sleeping Beauty, the main character, is put under a spell so that she might sleep instead of succumbing to illness and death. It gives new meaning to the phrase "getting some Beauty Sleep." Roger could really use some of that.

But we live in a society that seems to call a good thing bad and a bad thing good. I heard the other day a group of people bragging about how little sleep they get. One man said, "I average about six hours of sleep per night." "Oh yeah," said the woman, "I'm lucky if I get five. I go to bed at midnight and get up at five o'clock and begin work." The last man in the group looked at them with derision, "Four hours. That's all I need. I guess I'm blessed." It sounded like a demented episode of name that tune: "I can name that tune in four notes..." We consider ourselves blessed if we can get by on less sleep so that we can 'work' more. But, the studies show that the less sleep we get, the less productive we are. More hours of work does not necessarily increase productivity. It usually only lessens job satisfaction. But, we are a society that worships at the altar of work and bows down to the idol of ergomania. Those that work more are lifted up as ideal citizens; those that work 'only' forty hours per week are considered slackers.

Sad, really.

Many cultures around the world emphasize the need for rest - the need to replenish resources. Of course the traditional afternoon siesta in Spanish culture speaks to this. When Christine and I were in Germany in the mid '90's, some towns would shut down for two hours after lunch. A nap, at times, is not a luxury, but a necessity. Sleep is for healing and refreshing the soul. Take, for instance, Jesus modeling of retreating silence. Mark 1:32-34 Jesus spends his day having the sick and the demon possessed brought to him. After healing from the beginning to the end of the day, Jesus needs to retreat. So, in spite of the fact that not every person was healed, he gets up early in the morning to spend time in prayer - to be silent. Luke 8 also speaks of Jesus' need for sleep. The disciples have put out onto the Sea of Galilee and Jesus descends into the boat simply to sleep. Even the Son of God needs to rejuvenate.

My encouragement to you this week; in the midst of connecting joys in life - in the midst of stress and tragedy - look for sleep; look for rejuvenation; look for time in silence with God. Prepare for the days ahead.

Go ahead. You deserve a break today.